Pneumatic starting device for internal-combustion engines.



J. E. IVIILLER.

PNEUMATIC STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. Il, 1911. RENEWED OCT. 26.1917. lgggwgu Patented May 28, 1918.

a oren.

'TOEN E- Mn-LER, OEMOLINE, ILLINOIS, AssIsNoE 'ro ivIInInNn MoroEcoNrANr, a CORPORATION or ILLINoIs. i i r i PNEUMA'IIC STARTING DEVICE non INrEENALcoNBUsrIoN ENGINEs.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Mayas, raie.

appnation mea Augustin 191i, serial No. 643,580. Renewed october 26,1917; serial No. 198,738.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moline, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Starting Devices for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a speciication, reference Ibeing had therein to the accompanying drawing. ,e n

In order to make the invention more clearly understood I have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical effect, without limiting my improvements, in their useful applications, to the particular construction which, fordthe purpose of example, I have deline-y ate v In the said drawings, a

Figure 1 is a front elevation of` anl internal combustion engine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional viewy of that portion of the mechanism which is more immediately connected with the crank shaftof the engine, on line II-II of Fig. l. o i

In the drawings I have illustrated a type of engine `and general arrangement of the parts suitable for embodiment in an auto-` mobile, but it will be understood that the starting device maybe employed with other engines for which it is suitable. l

Referring to the drawings, the crank shaft G of an internal combustion motor is shown supported in a crank case 5 which `likewise carries the various actuating mechanismsof the starting device. The cylinders Vand other parts of the motor have been omitted from the drawings so as to bring `out more clearlythe `arrangement `of parts `of the starting system and eliminate parts of the motor which are `not directly connected therewith. 1 v

A is the air compressor'which is or may be, by correlated parts, caused also to perform ythe functions of an air motor. T is the storage tank for the air compressed by the compressorv A, which air is.A received through the air pipe 6. In this air pipe is arranged a check valve V which allowslthe air to How freely from the compressor to the tank but prevents any return of the same. l i .a p' w S is'the crank shaft of the air compressor extending across for into proximityto the engine shaft @e Thev shaft is mounted in bearings X, X attached to the casing 5. M is a worm wheel mounted loosely on the shaft S and having fixed thereto a clutch member 7. L is a worm fixed on or integral with a shaft L which extends from within the engine casing 5. The `shaft Il may be arranged differently from the manner illustrated in the drawing, in fact, any shaft geared to the cam or crank shaft of the motor would answer the same purpose.' That is to say, when the engine 4 is running the shaft L" and worm L will be rotated and consequently the worm wheel M. B is adouble clutch member arranged to slide on the shaft S but splined on saidshaft so` as to rotate with the same. `When `the member B is shifted to the right, in Fig.` 1, its clutch face 8 will vbe caused to engage with the corresponding clutch member 7 of the worm `wheel M, whereupon any rotation of the shaft L will be communicated to the shaft S and the compressor A will perform its functionof storing up compressed air the tank T. 2 is a lever pivoted. at 9 `tothe casing `5 and engaging by its lower forked end 10 a groove 11 inthe clutch element B,

whereby it is enabled, `when shifted, to`en` gage or disengage the clutch 8 with or from the clutch member 7. N is a spring "connected with the lever 2 and adjustably ccnl nected with the casing 5 `by means of an adjustingscrew O, by which latter the tension of the spring may be regulated.` y This spring tends to kkeep the. clutch S in engagement with theclutchg and cause the actuation of the compressor A. R is an air expansion chamber connected interiorly `by. the` pipe 6 with thetank T, and bearing at its outer face upon the lever 2, whereby, whenthe pressure in the tank T has reached the predetermined limit the chamber R will expand 12 is a clutch` member mounted'loosely 4on theshaft S and adapted to be. engaged by the-clutch face 13 of the sliding member B. When so engaged, .if the shaft S be mo,- tion, a rotation 4will be imparted Ato the clutchmember 12. I is a lever located'in theease .I of lfan automobile |at or. lnear the dash-board thereof and connected'by-'arlink 1 with theclutch shifting lever 2. By these 5 devices theffeliith elements `F13-and "12'may becaused to engage. 3 is check valve 1n the pipe having f :a @projecting stem fia `which bears against the lever 2, and v 15 isl an air pipe lcominunicatin'g with the air pipe 6 throughtheyalve 3 and leading to'the valve chamber ofthe compressor A (now considered jasa motor) 1at any suitablepoint. It may. communicate with the kpipe 6 y between the valve V and the compressor A. `U is a check valve inthe ,pipe 15 Whichpermits the flow ofcompressedfair through'thepipe 15 in the dir'ection from -the valve 3 tothe compressonormotor, A,'but prevents any flovv of the air in the opposite direction. Whenthehand lever I is operated tto engage the clutchmembers y12 and 13 the valve stem 14C 'will be 'forced inward, the valve .3 opened and :compressed air admitted throu'ghwthepipe lto the motor A, Whereupon the ypistonsof said 'motor vvill be actuatedand theV shaft S revolved, thereby tilrnin'gthe-part B andits engagedpart 12. K' indicates yadjusting and abutting `rWashers vor thris'tlcollars ontle shaft S forproperly locating thelo'o'se rotary elements von said shaft., IIE. indicates vcollars fixed `on the shaftSand cooperating with the'eollars K for thes/amepurpose. y

The mechanical c"nnectionsbetween the clutch ,dementia andthe main engine shaft Ggadapte'd to transmit the' rotarymotion oftheffornierto the latter,"`and thereby "crankf"-fthe engine'shaamay 'be of any suitableehara'cter.` "I prefer, andhav'e illustrat'ed; vv-tl'ieA following C'fisja Worm attached to jthejlthjelemene ie'and vengaglnga'- corresponding vio'rmgear D connected With the ngineshaftfG. The gear "D l(Fig. 2) isi l gral'vvi'th thefhub g, Whichilatter may be f med, as/(shown, lfor engagement by' an ordina]v 'han'dlc'rank E isjaflanged hub nioiinted bYballbeai-ings "16fto tarn 'on the shaft The. 4flange 1-7 n of said hub is clamped'yifeldablyto'thefface of the gearjD by anii'ittfrn'al'jrijrig "@Iheldto" 'place by bolts Q, ,"The 'face ['Olf Athe gear and -.the 'inner face of zthe {ring may beeofvercd With ai'iti-fri'c- Ktiojn'"fa'cings .tOgSeCure the proper y contact with the flangel y1'?. y'Thisfl'an'ge '17 'may also cedfvvirth an anti-frictionsubstance if d I -thns gpfr'o'vide 'altvvo-jpart friction eld'able connecting device interposed etween the fait 'motor Vand the engine' shaft.

.. The. ,details afname-'maybowed, the

essence "the arrangement beingv to secure such friction ,contact 'that normally, when tfhejivo rrfger-is turnedfor'ward the crank shaftoffthefcar'is'rotated in the same direction,'jbutvv`he`n 'aback firing takes place, and aeonseqet reversal of the engine, thesaid 'the pawls to turn the shaft G.

`yield-able device will give and permit such reversed'motion Without destruction to the 4fair "motor or connecting mechanism.

F indicates pavvls hinged upon the {ianged 4head IIS of the shaft'Gfandengaging suit- -Yable ratchet teeth 19 on the hub E. The vlrat 3het Iteeth are so presented that when ythe hub is rotated forwardly they will engage After'the motor is started the pawls `will berapidly rotated and caused by centrifugal force to fly out from engagement with the ratchet teeth 19. v

y In lorder that any reversal of the engine shallnot cause strain on the Worm C and gearDf, the rear edge of the rim of the gear isprovided with a-ratchetedface 2O engaged byv a paWl Zhun'r on the gear case at 21. This pavvl positivelylprevents they backward turning of the gear D', so that in the vevent of'back firingthe'gear isheld fixed and the flange V17 is i left to turn therein.

4The -pipe '6 fromthe tank T may terminatein a pressure gage l located conveniently so that the pressure may be determinedat all times bythe operator. Y is an outlet'valve for 'auxiliary uses of air from the tank T. It is obvious that the compressed air may thus ybe used ifor bumping up itires, Aactuatinov a'motor generator for producing `e"lectric1`tyfor lights, for the operation of Vairrb'rakes, for cleaning or for other uses.

V'VVhat'is claimed is 1. In a starting 'device forinternal combustion engines, the combination of an engine shaft, a ycountershaft connected With thesaidengine'shaft, a compressed air system, ac'ombination air motor and compressor included in the air'system, means operable at Will for connecting the engine shaft Withithefsaid combination motor and compressor, means operable at Will for connectingthe'said countershaft With the motor and compressor, "and automatic means forv dise'ngaging the last mentioned connection Whenthejpressu're in the air system reaches aprede'termined point.

In a "starting devicev for internal combustin'engines, the combination of amain `engine "havinga'crank shaft and acountershaft, a combined compressor and motor having a shaft, twopowertransmitting devices "mounted 'loosely 'on the ylatter shaft, 'mechanical'connections between one of said power transmitting devices and' the countern shaft/of the engine, mechanical connections between'the other of said power ytransmitting'devices 'andthe crankshaft of the engine, 'means for connecting either of said power transmitting devices with the shaft of the motor and .compressor to revolve with the same, a compressed air storage tank, and pipes 'for conducting air'from the motor and compressor to the storage tank to be stored therein and for conducting the stored air to the motor and compressor to actuate the latter as a motor, substantially as set forth.

3. In a starting device for internal combustion engines, the combination of a main engine, an air compressor and motor, a compressed air storage tank, an air pipe leading from the compressor and motor and having a check valve opening toward the tank, a second air pipe through which compressed air may be received by the compressor and motor from the storage tank and which is provided with a check valve opening toward the compressor and motor, a third valve controlling the passage of compressed air through the second air pipe, a loose mechanical connection between the shaft of the compressor and motor and a countershaft of the engine, a second loose mechanical connection between the shaft of the compressor and motor and the crank shaft of the engine, means for connecting up either of the said mechanical connections for the transmission of power, which means engages the said third valve to open the same and allow compressed air to pass to the compressor and motor when the second mechanical connection is operatedl between the shaft of the motor and compressor and the` crank shaft of the engine, substantially as set forth.

t. In a starting device for internal combustion engines, the combination of a main engine, a compressed air storage tank, a combined air compressor and motor having a shaft, a rotary power transmitting and clutch element on the latter shaft and connected with a shaft of the engine to receive motion therefrom, a second power transmitting and clutch element on the shaft of the compressor and motor and connected with the crank shaft of the engine to transmit power thereto, an intermediate Aclutch device shiftable on the shaft of the compressor and motor and connected to rotate therewith, a movable part engaging the said intermediate clutch device and adapted to shift the same into engagement with either of said power transmitting and clutch elements, air pipes connecting the motor and compressor with the storage tank, check valves in the said pipes and controlling the passage of compressed air with reference to the motor and compressor as described, an air expansion chamber connected interiorly with the storage tank and engaging the said movable part to actuate the same at a predetermined air pressure, and a valve on one of said air pipes for controlling the passage of compressed air from the storage tank to the compressor and motor which valve is connected with and adapted to be opened by the said movable part when the latter is shifted to operatively connect the shaft of the compressor and motor with the crank shaft of the engine, substantially as set forth.

5. In a starting device for internal combustion engines, the combination of an engine crank shaft, a compressed air supply, a combination air motor and compressor included in the air system, means operable at will for connecting the engine shaft with the said combination motor and compressor, means operable at will and independent of the first mentioned means for connecting the engine shaft with the said combination motor and compressor, and automatic means for disengaging one of the said connections when the pressure in the air system reaches a predetermined point.

6. In a starting device for internal combustion engines, the combination of an engine shaft, a compressed air system, a combination air motor and compressor included in the said system, two independent connections between the engine shaft and the combination motor and compressor, a single lever for operating either of the said connections, a valve operated by the said lever for supplying compressed air to the combination motor and compressor, and automatic means for operating the said lever to disengage one of the said connections when the air pressure in the system reaches a predetermined amount.

In testimony whereof I aHiX in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN E. MILLER.

my signature,

Witnesses:

C. H. Porn, L. A. Porn.

worden of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by'addressing the "Commissioner of.' Patente,

Washington, D. t. 

